Has Thailand had enough of Western tourists and their ‘entitlement’?

[webfact]

Has Thailand had enough of Western tourists and their ‘entitlement’?

Once the mainstay of the Thai tourism industry, visitors from Europe, the US and Australia are now outnumbered

Arrivals from the rest of Asia and the Middle East tend to spend more on a daily basis, but their stays are shorter

Mercedes Hutton

 

 

Thailand needs tourism. The industry that brings travellers to the country’s beaches, back alleys and Buddhist temples employed almost 6 million people, raked in US$109.5 billion and accounted for one in every five baht spent in 2018, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council.

 

But, according to a recent post on the website Pattaya Unplugged, which claims to be “the Number One Tourist info source in Pattaya”, the Land of Smiles is faking its warm welcome when it comes to visitors from the West.

 

The snappily titled opinion piece (“Ten reasons why Western foreign tourists are not wanted as badly by the Thai Tourism Ministry versus Indians, Chinese, Russians, Koreans, etc.”) catalogues why the Southeast Asian nation doesn’t care for Western visitors – understood here to mean those hailing from Europe, North America and Australia. Compiled by an American living in Pattaya, those reasons were gleaned from “many talks with people from many different backgrounds and cultures [...] not just the view from a barstool”.

 

Full story: https://www.scmp.com/print/magazines/post-magazine/travel/article/3064751/has-thailand-had-enough-western-tourists-and-their

 

-- SCMP 2020-03-04

[J Town]

In EVERY case where I've interacted with Thai's, if I am polite to them, they are polite in return. This isn't just a Thai thing, it's a human thing. Duh.

[ChipButty]

Are Western tourists tired all the Thai cr&p?

[booji]

The source cited in the article is some posting on Pattaya Unplugged. Great journalism folks!

[zydeco]

Looked at the original Pattaya blog, and his complaint, when you boil it down, is that people from the UK, US, and Australia seem to expect what they paid for. And they don't like getting cheated. This, he complains, makes them unpopular. He seems to think that visiting Western tourists should just suck it up and be happy with the double pricing, the overcharges, the taxi mafias, etc. We need to be more compliant and servile like the Indians and Chinese and just turn over our wallet and shut up.

Edited March 4, 2020 by zydeco

[rkidlad]

I first came here (and other countries in SE Asia) for 6 months back in 2005. We spent most of our time in Thailand while making short trips to other countries. Myself and two friends had saved up a load of money and decided to go backpacking. 

 

Back then there were loads of Western tourists doing the same thing. Lots of people spending, even if we weren't big spenders. We mostly just partied a lot and went island hoping meeting new people and having a really good time. We could come and go from Thailand without anyone at immigration asking questions. We were genuine tourists spending money and not bothering anyone. Nowadays, we couldn't have travelled like that. If my friends and I had gone backpacking now, we would most definitely have spent less time (and money) in Thailand. 

 

Now, whenever I travel to tourist areas, I see far fewer Westerners and far more Asians. The spending patterns are different for sure. Asian tourists seem to stay in the hotels more and keep themselves to themselves. Back when I was travelling, people used their rooms to sleep in only and wanted to go out and do things. Always spending money.

 

Thailand decided to go after the Chinese tourists and that's fair enough. But why did they give up on, seemingly try to dissuade Western tourists from coming? That makes no business sense and now it's coming back to bite them in the <deleted>. I guess that's what happens when a bunch of spoilt soldiers run a country.  You've made your bed now. Adapt or die. 

[PatOngo]

Reap what you sow!

[Walter Travolta]

Arrivals from the rest of Asia and the Middle East tend to spend more on a daily basis, but their stays are shorter

yep, If I go somewhere for a weekend I will spend more per day than I would on a months break!

The snappily titled opinion piece (“Ten reasons why Western foreign tourists are not wanted as badly by the Thai Tourism Ministry versus Indians, Chinese, Russians, Koreans, etc.”)

Very snappy indeed, if you're 6 years old

So, lets get rid of the section of tourists that spend the least (even though its adding to the economy and keeping businesses open and individuals in a job)

Then what? Get rid of the next section because they have become the least spending group? And so on . . . . 

 

Genius, absolute genius

[morrobay]

https://pattayaunplugged.com/ten-reasons-why-western-foreign-tourists-are-not-wanted-as-badly-by-the-thai-tourism-ministry-versus-indians-chinese-russians-koreans-etc/?fbclid=IwAR1DMF13QfnyLYcT17fTlNVr-v

[Saint Nick]

I am not crying...you're crying!

What a spanner!

[djayz]

29 minutes ago, webfact said:

Compiled by an American living in Pattaya, those reasons were gleaned from “many talks with people from many different backgrounds and cultures [...] not just the view from a barstool”.

Sounds like a well structured, academic survey carried out by a notable research institute. 

[ThomasThBKK]

Dumb opinion piece, i know quite some hotel owners here, no one thinks like this.

 

And let's face it, the average thai doesn't like the average Chinese or Indians. Just ask around yourself.

 

The average Thai isn't fed up with Westerners, they are fed up with their own government.

 

[smedly]

Indian and Chinese tourists are being taken advantage of right now - easy to rip off, that won't last for ever 

[AlienHermit66]

I too have had "many talks" with people of different cultures while on my favorite Thai island, all of them, including the Thais, complained most about the Chinese mobs, along with their noise and other vulgar habits. Somebody needs to write an article using this "data." I seem to recall articles a while back that said that the Thai government was sick of "zero dollar tourists" from China, and that they wanted to change tack and try harder to attract "quality tourists." These last two terms in quotations are from Thai news stories, not my terms. Apparently, what people love or hate just flip-flops like a fish out of water...

 

Have also heard a lot of complaints from Thai people about entitled, argumentative, demanding, and cheap Israelis - not sure anyone classes them as "Westerners," but I don't...

[Ventenio]

This is all pre-corona.  

 

Can you imagine if it was a Brit, American, etc... who brought the Corona.  We would be finished. 

 

But now........we are in demand, again.... except we have a brain, so supply is lower than a bottomless pit.  

 

 

[smedly]

18 minutes ago, Walter Travolta said:

Arrivals from the rest of Asia and the Middle East tend to spend more on a daily basis, but their stays are shorter

yep, If I go somewhere for a weekend I will spend more per day than I would on a months break!

The snappily titled opinion piece (“Ten reasons why Western foreign tourists are not wanted as badly by the Thai Tourism Ministry versus Indians, Chinese, Russians, Koreans, etc.”)

Very snappy indeed, if you're 6 years old

So, lets get rid of the section of tourists that spend the least (even though its adding to the economy and keeping businesses open and individuals in a job)

Then what? Get rid of the next section because they have become the least spending group? And so on . . . . 

 

Genius, absolute genius

it is all complete garbage 

[gt162]

 

"Thailand decided to go after the Chinese tourists and that's fair enough. But why did they give up on, seemingly try to dissuade Western tourists from coming? That makes no business sense and now it's coming back to bite them in the <deleted>. I guess that's what happens when a bunch of spoilt soldiers run a country.  You've made your bed now. Adapt or die. "

 

 

I think it's more of getting rid of "bad or undesirable" Western tourist and expats. Not everybody has the money to visit or live in Thailand. And small percentage of rotten Farangs are causing this for rest of us.

[worgeordie]

I think it's more Western tourists have had enough

 of been double priced and scammed, nothing is

hidden today with the Internet

The Golden Goose of Thai tourism has caught bird flu. 

regards Worgeordie

[Nakmuay887]

5 minutes ago, Ventenio said:

except we have a brain,

Some of the expats here appear to be lacking in the intelligence department. Myself included in many aspects 

[AlienHermit66]

4 minutes ago, smedly said:

Indian and Chinese tourists are being taken advantage of right now - easy to rip off, that won't last for ever 

How do you rip off Chinese or Indians? Ask any Indian and he will proudly tell you that the Indians are the cheapest people on the planet, with Chinese being in #2 position. Only Westerners and Japanese can be "ripped off." People in Cambodia have told me the same thing too. I often noticed that business people all ignore the Chinese in Cambodia; I asked them why. They looked at me like I was stupid and said, "No profit - Chinese want to pay 25 cents for something that costs 50 cents for us to make. The Westerner will pay $5 or $10 for the same item."

[Traubert]

3 minutes ago, Nakmuay887 said:

Some of the expats here appear to be lacking in the intelligence department. Myself included in many aspects 

Hallelujah brother.

[Ventenio]

2 minutes ago, AlienHermit66 said:

The Westerner will pay $5 or $10 for the same item.

I'm not so sure.  I'm met the CHEAPEST westerners in Thailand.  ahhhhh..  backpackers???  I've heard some ask to live in a closet for 100 baht a night; two people, no bathroom, no window.  and these idiots are traveling?

 

again, a westerner can, on average, easily make the $10 back much easier.  Back home, 1000 baht isn't even thought about.  here, it's like some massive worry they might not have change.  

 

you are still correct in your hierarchy...  

[BritManToo]

7 minutes ago, Nakmuay887 said:

Some of the expats here appear to be lacking in the intelligence department. Myself included in many aspects 

That's because I don't have enough blood to power my big head, and my little head at the same time.

[BritManToo]

58 minutes ago, webfact said:

Once the mainstay of the Thai tourism industry, visitors from Europe, the US and Australia are now outnumbered

Arrivals from the rest of Asia and the Middle East tend to spend more on a daily basis, but their stays are shorter

News that's about a month out of date.

I suspect nobody (that doesn't already have a ticket with no chance of a refund) either Asian or Western will be arriving in the next 6 months.

[ezzra]

Let's face it, most Thais THAT i know think that tourists are a pain in the derriere and a nuisance, oblivious to the fact and not realising for one moment that what props up the Thai economy by large is the tourist's dollars, and if tomorrow all the tourist and expat will be gone there will be a big party where the cheap thai whisky will flow like water...

[spiekerjozef]

I already have enough of moaning western tourists.

[Eindhoven]

24 minutes ago, AlienHermit66 said:

I too have had "many talks" with people of different cultures while on my favorite Thai island, all of them, including the Thais, complained most about the Chinese mobs, along with their noise and other vulgar habits. Somebody needs to write an article using this "data." I seem to recall articles a while back that said that the Thai government was sick of "zero dollar tourists" from China, and that they wanted to change tack and try harder to attract "quality tourists." These last two terms in quotations are from Thai news stories, not my terms. Apparently, what people love or hate just flip-flops like a fish out of water...

 

Have also heard a lot of complaints from Thai people about entitled, argumentative, demanding, and cheap Israelis - not sure anyone classes them as "Westerners," but I don't...

 

Was in Ninja (Mu Khrata) the other day in Pattaya. Some East Asians arrived, with their rentals in tow...

First was the noise. Then it was the throwing of the shellfish remains on the floor around them and then stepping in them therefore spreading them further. Then actual hawking and spitting on the floor.

That was the cue for me to leave. Happily we had enjoyed our meal before they arrived, so were on our ice cream course and soon to leave anyway. Truly disgusting people.

[SteveK]

Thailand should be welcoming ANY tourists who want to come here given the current situation. Beggars can't be choosers so I wish they would stop saying that they are focusing on tourists from certain countries, when surely anyone with money will do.

 

But then they have alienated the regular farang visitors through various means, being castigated at the airport because you want to come "too often" is quite frankly absurd given the economic hole the country is now staring at.

 

They've made their bed now they must lie in it.

 

They should be changing the visa-exemption for westerners to 60 days, tell immigration to smile because these people are bringing money into the country, and stop hassling people who want to come several times a year. Employ some of the now unemployed locals to collect litter, produce some regulations about taxi/tuk tuk charges and eliminate double charging. Nothing too hard there.

 

 

Edited March 4, 2020 by SteveK

[Andrew65]

53 minutes ago, smedly said:

Indian and Chinese tourists are being taken advantage of right now - easy to rip off, that won't last for ever 

For Indians & Chinese Thailand is a short-haul destination, a long-haul one for Westerners. Also, lots more people.

[neeray]

And now just look what the Chinese have brought to Thailand (and the rest of the world).

China ..... You own this mess!